Being a first year team in any flag football league can be difficult, but THE SNATCH of the Youngstown Flag Football Association (YFFA) made it look easy by reaching the championship game in its first season.
The team of Wesley Wiltrout, Derek Armstrong and Dan Shuler (plus a fourth) entered a YFFA summer tournament and didn’t do so well. When YFFA Commissioner Elliot Giles saw the team, he wanted to make it something special.
“They came into our summer tournament and didn’t have a great experience,” Giles said. “But they’re good kids.”
Giles, called “The Godfather” by his teammates, saw potential and immediately helped turn the team into winners.
THE SNATCH may have had success in its first season together in the YFFA, but the team fell short at this weekend’s tournament at Ursuline High School in Youngstown.
The team lost to PFFL powerhouse BALLZ DEEP, 13-6, and eventual tournament runner-up, JOE’S PROS, 14-7, in its first two games.
“We were in both games,” receiver Derek Armstrong said. “We didn’t have any subs, but we won’t make any excuses.”
Despite not winning a game in the small tournament Sunday afternoon, the team is confident that playing good competition will get it ready for the fall season. When asked about expectations for the season, the team made it very clear.
“We expect to go all the way,” Anderson said.
